Designing a product that will help us a lot! Need to know if it will be possible

[schafon]

Hi everyone!
I'm in the process of designing a product that could change the most tedious task that we all need to do - water change.
I've designed a solid system that take cares of the water change from A to Z.
The only problem is that it works with my setup but I'm not sure if it will work with yours.

So I wanted to check if it will be a smart decision to try to design this system as a product, or just enjoy from in my setup.

I want to know if you guys can get access to a water source (under the sink for example) and a water drain (still under the sink) (less then 20ft).

Thanks!

 

[muzikalmatt]

My RODI system is in the basement. The waste water drains into my sump pump area and the clean RODI water fills up a Brute trash can on the other side of the basement. My tank is upstairs but it's probably less than 20' away from either the RODI system or my RODI storage container. I've considered running tubing through the floors up to my tank area so that I don't have to haul buckets up the basement steps anymore.

 

[SPS2020]

My tank is in the master bedroom and as the crow flies, the RODI unit is around 20 feet away. Currently, the RODI is connected to one of the vanity sinks and waste water goes into the garden tub. I use a 10 gallon ATO for top off as well as water changes on a 100 gallon tank. Manual fill up of the ATO is done by a 5 gallon water jug transported across the bedroom.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Being a reefer means being somewhat of a plumber. If it's simple enough to be threaded to a faucet of some kind, or sink....we'll make it work.

 

[schafon]

Being a reefer means being somewhat of a plumber. If it's simple enough to be threaded to a faucet of some kind, or sink....we'll make it work.

That's actually great to hear, since if I'll do decide to make this a product it won't be a super simple installation, but we as reefers don't like simple anyway ;Bookworm

 

[czoolander]

I might be in the minority but I don't mind bucket water changes . But then again I am tall and strong so its not really an issue . I do 4-6 buckets a month .

that being said if I got to the point of doing 20-30 buckets a month on a larger system 300g -500g then I might be looking at other options

As for your poll question my RODI system is about 50ft away from my display both units downstairs

I am curious to see this gadget you come up with though good luck man !

 

[ZoWhat]

BTDT
Sorry.... you will be very hard pressed to INVENT anything that some Reefer hasn't already concocted.

Follow me on this...

My RODI system is in my fish room

My 55g food grade drum has a float valve on it from the RODI unit (autoON autoOFF) ...meaning when float is sealed, the RODI shuts off due to backpressure. When the float unsealed and drops, the RODI re-engages and starts making water.

That 55g drum feeds a smaller 15g topoff drum.

That 15g topoff drum feeds a float valve in my sump. Reason for the 15g is if the float in the sump !!fails!! at worse the 220g system get floaded with 15g of RODI. About a drop to 1.022 at worse

The only time my 15g needs refilling is when the sump drains it needing water topoff. Typically once a week.

From anywhere in the world thru APEX I can refill the 15g by turning on the pump inside the 55g to fill the 15g. I visually watch the 15g fill to capacity via a WYSE online camera.

When the 55g needs water, it auto turn ON the rodi system via the float valve.

I managed my top off water 800 miles away on vacation fir 3 weeks this past May/June.

Sorry....I can have a week's worth of tipoff water (anywhere in the world) via my Apex and about 7mins of monitoring Time

.

 

[schafon]

BTDT
Sorry.... you will be very hard pressed to INVENT anything that some Reefer hasn't already concocted.

Follow me on this...

My RODI system is in my fish room

My 55g food grade drum has a float valve on it from the RODI unit

That 55g drum feed a smaller 15g topoff drum.

That 15g topoff drum feeds a float valvue in my sump.

The only time my 15g needs refilling is when the sump drains it needing water tipoff.

From anywhere in the world thru APEX I can refill the 15g by turning on the pump inside the 55g to fill the 15g. I visually watch the 15g fill to capacity via a WYSE online camera.

When the 55g need water it auto turn ON the rodi system via the float valve.

I managed my top off water 800 miles away on vacation fir 3 weeks this past May/June.

Sorry....

.

Can I ask why don't you just connect the RODI directly to your 15g via float valve?
And just to make it clear, my product is not an ATO system, it's a water change system.

 

[G Santana]

My tank is in my basement, I have a water source and floor drains within feet of my tank. Curious..

 

[Dburr1014]

Hi everyone!
I'm in the process of designing a product that could change the most tedious task that we all need to do - water change.
I've designed a solid system that take cares of the water change from A to Z.
The only problem is that it works with my setup but I'm not sure if it will work with yours.

So I wanted to check if it will be a smart decision to try to design this system as a product, or just enjoy from in my setup.

I want to know if you guys can get access to a water source (under the sink for example) and a water drain (still under the sink) (less then 20ft).

Thanks!

Hmmmm, your question is talking about RO water. I was assuming you were talking about RO water going down a drain. But your question is really about salt water going down your drain. I have a septic system and I would not put saltwater into my cement septic tank for fear it would corrode eventually and fail.
Maybe you should tweet your question a little? Sorry that sounds like a great project but I just want to make sure everybody knows what you're asking them to do.

 

[kiran]

My tanks about 10-15ft away from my sink where my RODI is also setup

 

[schafon]

Hmmmm, your question is talking about RO water. I was assuming you were talking about RO water going down a drain. But your question is really about salt water going down your drain. I have a septic system and I would not put saltwater into my cement septic tank for fear it would corrode eventually and fail.
Maybe you should tweet your question a little? Sorry that sounds like a great project but I just want to make sure everybody knows what you're asking them to do.

This is indeed something that I should take under consideration. I my self live in a city and don't have a septic system.

 

[ricksmithsdca]

Hi everyone!
I'm in the process of designing a product that could change the most tedious task that we all need to do - water change.
I've designed a solid system that take cares of the water change from A to Z.
The only problem is that it works with my setup but I'm not sure if it will work with yours.

So I wanted to check if it will be a smart decision to try to design this system as a product, or just enjoy from in my setup.

I want to know if you guys can get access to a water source (under the sink for example) and a water drain (still under the sink) (less then 20ft).

Thanks!

My RO system and my drain are 5 ft apart.

 

[tang_man_montreal]

I have a Tune 8555 that controls my RODI to a brute for top-off and availability of RODI water on a whim.
I can transfer RODI water as needed to a 2nd brute that I use as my mixing station.
I then have my APEX with a DOS that handles water changes for me automatically; One DOS head taking fresh salt water from the 2nd brute, to the sump. The 2nd DOS head taking water from the sump, to drain.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but this has been done in many different variety of ways. I just copied someone else's design that I found on the interwebs.

Unless you mean to automate the addition of salt to a temperature calibrated 1.025 as well I don't see the value here.
Also if you make it too complicated to install, you will really limit your market to those who have the room for such a system or the courage to set one up.

That being said, I double check my salt mix parameters as well since I don't trust a single source to give me a reliable reading. I can't say that I'd want it completely automated.

To answer your question;
- My RODI unit sits in the basement over 20ft away from its source which is also in the basement.
- My drain (used for both the RODI waste and the output of the auto water change) is about 12ft away from the sump.
- My display tank is on the main floor directly above the sump.

 

[schafon]

I have a Tune 8555 that controls my RODI to a brute for top-off and availability of RODI water on a whim.
I can transfer RODI water as needed to a 2nd brute that I use as my mixing station.
I then have my APEX with a DOS that handles water changes for me automatically; One DOS head taking fresh salt water from the 2nd brute, to the sump. The 2nd DOS head taking water from the sump, to drain.

I don't mean to rain on your parade, but this has been done in many different variety of ways. I just copied someone else's design that I found on the interwebs.

Unless you mean to automate the addition of salt to a temperature calibrated 1.025 as well I don't see the value here.
Also if you make it too complicated to install, you will really limit your market to those who have the room for such a system or the courage to set one up.

That being said, I double check my salt mix parameters as well since I don't trust a single source to give me a reliable reading. I can't say that I'd want it completely automated.

To answer your question;
- My RODI unit sits in the basement over 20ft away from its source which is also in the basement.
- My drain (used for both the RODI waste and the output of the auto water change) is about 12ft away from the sump.
- My display tank is on the main floor directly above the sump.

Unless you mean to automate the addition of salt to a temperature calibrated 1.025 as well I don't see the value here.
That's exactly what I'm planning on doing, room wise, if you have a RODI top off tank you can probably fit my design.
The setup as of now is pretty complex, this is my main boundary as of now.

 

[i_am_mclovin]

I used to do AWC with DOS pumps in my old system. Excited to hear what you have cooking.

 

[schafon]

I'm happy to hear that you guys have systems in place to control the RODI supply and that most of you have the option to connect system like mine! (wasn't expecting that).

I want the option to go on a long vacation without worrying a bit about my tank, or to just enjoy my tank without doing the extra work required. I do miss water changes schedule once in every while and I know that reefs thrives on stability - which I don't always provide.
In order for me to provide stability it means to be able to do water changes remotely and after this part is all tuned up, the next step would be to create a product that will also feed frozen food automatically.

I'm an automation guy, that's what I do for living (mostly code) and as an hobby (hardware and code).
I was so excited when I just started in this hobby but my last vacation was very stressful for me, I want to fix that.

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Ok.... I'm curious

 

[schafon]

Teaser of early prototype of the brain